Spring is a usually the time of year where homeowners start to “spring clean” and “de-clutter” their homes. Spring is also a good time for performing some routine home maintenance and checking up on the plumbing system to make sure there are not cracked pipes from the winter that could lead to leaks and water damage. This is also a great time to clean-out your drains from debris and protect your home from clogged drains. Keeping up with this basic maintenance on a yearly basis can help keep your home functional throughout the year.

Check under your sinks

Take a look under your sinks, especially those that are located on the outside walls of your home. Look for moisture, puddles, rust, corrosion, and other warning signs of a leak. Lay a paper towel underneath your pipes, run water from the faucet, and carefully check the pipes to make sure there are no leaks; also check to make sure the paper towel is completely dry to ensure no water dripped that you could not see visually.

Remove debris and hair from drains

To ensure your drains are flowing properly and to prevent future drain back-ups and water damage, you should clean your drains and remove the hair and debris. You can use a drain snake or auger to help clear the drain, but this can be a pretty messy job. Danco has the perfect drain cleaning, and drain clearing tool, the Clear.It water jet drain opener. It can be easily connected to your sink faucet to blast away hair and debris and get it moving down your drain without using harsh chemicals.

Protect your drains

Hair catchers are great to place in your bathtub, shower, and sinks to prevent hair, soap, debris, and even small valuables from slipping down the drain.  Danco has a  line of hair catchers and strainers for every room in your house and here are just a few of their top sellers.

For your bathtub, a 2-in-1 bathtub hair catcher and stopper can be a good choice, particularly Danco’s patent-pending stopper with a durable silicone basket. It is an innovative strainer and stopper that discreetly and easily catches hair to minimize clogged and slow drains. For something simpler, there’s the Bathtub Hair Catcher with a suction cup and the Hair Catcher Bathroom Tub Strainer, which is easier to clean and won’t cause bad odors.

Washing your hair in the bathroom sink and disposing of hair shavings in the drain can easily cause clogging. The Danco Lavatory Sink Hair Catcher will effectively cling to the stopper and catch any hairs. It is easy to install and clean, and it fits most standard sink pop-up stoppers that are 1 to ½ inch in size.

Avoid clogged drains in your shower with the Hair Catcher Shower Drain Cover, available in chrome or white, to keep your drain flowing freely as it catches foreign objects and comes with replacement baskets in threes per pack.

Check your Toilet to ensure there are no leaks or faulty parts

It is important to keep your toilet in great working condition. Not only do you want comfort, but you need to ensure there is no water being wasted from non-functioning parts. Danco has the right parts to help you repair or replace an older full flush toilet that will help you save water and money.  

As you inspect the exterior of your toilet, Does your toilet seat need new bumpers and hinges or does your tank need to be secured to the bowl more securely? These Universal Toilet Seat Bumpers and Toilet Seat Hinges are an easy DIY repair to keep your toilet seat in place. Over time the bolts holding your toilet tank to the bowl can rust out causing the tank to wiggle or leak water, this Tank to Bowl Kit will help keep your toilet tank secure to the bowl and help prevent leaks.

Is your toilet handle broken or is your toilet constantly running? Here are some toilet handles, flappers and repair kits that will help stop the leak and keep your toilet function properly. This Danco Decorative Toilet Handle will not only restore your flush mechanism, but will also add a modern update to your toilet. Replace your leaking flapper with either the  HydroForce 2-inch Adjustable Flapper or the HydroStop Toilet Tank Flapperless Alternative with Overflow Protection technology, both will prevent water leakage into the toilet bowl.  Want to save a little extra money, replace all the internal toilet tank parts with the HyrdoRight Toilet Repair Kit, this complete kit will turn your standard toilet into a dual-flush water-saving toilet.

If your toilet is older and if the porcelain has any cracks on the surface, you will want to purchase a new toilet. To install your new toilet properly, we recommend installing it with Danco’s new innovative technology that will ensure a tight perfect seal. The All-In-One Toilet Installation Kit has the Zero Cut Toilet Bolts included or the  Perfect Seal Toilet Wax Ring with standard floor bolts will allow for toilet repositioning and make for an easier DIY installation. 

If you discover that your toilet flange is damage or broken, no worries, Danco has you covered with a great innovative way to repair and install your toilet without the hassle of removing the old flange with a jackhammer using the HydroSeat Toilet Flange Repair with the SureSeal technology.

Check you Faucet for drips and leaks

Danco has the right part to fix a leak in your kitchen or bathroom. Check out Danco’s latest AI Leaky Faucet PartFinder tool. You can find the right part by taking a picture of your old part with your phone.

For guides on repairing a leaky faucet and other plumbing parts, check out leakyfaucetguide.com by Danco. You will also find all the plumbing repair parts you need on our website (danco.com/repair-parts). 

Other general spring home maintenance checks you should consider

Check-up your water heater, look out for leaks from outdoor faucets and sprinklers, clean the downspouts and gutters, and test the water pressure. Remember to drain the water heater tank, too.